House passes bill to federally decriminalize marijuana

Today, the US House of Representatives to decriminalize marijuana. The House bill, called the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, would remove marijuana from the list of scheduled substances and impose a federal tax on marijuana products. It would also establish a process to expunge prior cannabis convictions. The House voted 220-204 to pass the bill predominantly along party lines. Thirty six states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana over the last few years, and 19 states plus D.C. have decriminalized recreational marijuana use for adults. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its fate is all but certain.